Individual success in a team environment resulted in favorable outcomes for Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn at the Okoboji Relays.

As a team, the Hawk boys finished fifth overall with 67 points. But with Class 2A schools such as Spirit Lake (125 points), Sioux Center (124) and Okoboji (117) at the top of the standings of the meet held April 26, Hawk coach Kyle Borchers was not disappointed with the results.

"I thought that it was the best meet we had up to date," Borchers said. "We used that meet to see if we were peaking at the right time. I thought we did fantastic."

Connor Dodd again led the competition in the 100 meter dash, running a time of :11.33.

Noah Adams, Kooper Ebel, Dawson Schiphoff and Dodd again combined for a win in the 4x100 relay, running a season-best time of :44.97.

"That was pretty fast. The guys were pretty excited," Borchers said.

Dodd added a runner-up finish in the 200 (:23.29), as did Ebel in the 400 (:53.11); and Brenton Thomas placed fifth in the 400 meter hurdles (1:05.28).

H-M-S is beginning to see consistent contributions in the field events. In addition to Adams' third-place finish in the long jump (19'7.25"), Adam Schierholz placed in a varsity meet for the first time, finishing fifth in the discus (116'3"). Gabe Bronstad had his best effort in the shot put (39'2.5") while placing sixth.

"The field events are doing well," Borchers noted.

Adams, Ryan Borden, Schiphoff and Dodd placed second in the 4x200 relay (1:35.43); and Adams, Borden, Schiphoff and Ebel came in third in the 800 meter medley (1:40.88).

Fifth-place finishes were recorded by Borden, Travis Kamradt, Ethan Diehm and JP Mutombo in the 4x400 (3:52.08); Diehm, Bryce Dodge, Alan Abonce and Aidan Espeland in the 4x800 (10:15.06); and Bradley Zamudio, Mutombo, Kamradt and Thomas in the 1600 meter medley (4:10.03).

The focus all season has been on "working through meets to work toward meets." The meets toward which the Hawks have been working – War Eagle Conference and state qualifying, particularly – are upon them and Borchers feels they are ready.

"At this point we are preaching that. They are taking that to heart," he said. "Every single person is excited about it."

MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS

Gabe Bronstad finished sixth in the shot put at the Okoboji Relays. His best distance was measured at 39'2-1/2".

Other team scores at Okoboji were Sibley-Ocheyedan 91, H-M-S 67, South O'Brien 24, Harris-Lake Park 24, Trinity Christian 12 and Okoboji JV 4.

JV results included: 4x100 (Zamudio, Tyson Tessum, Jordan Ortega, Trenton Vollink, third, :50.20); and 800 meter medley (Ethan Wiersma, Landon Elwood, Tessum, Vollink, fifth, 1:56.50).

H-M-S finishes the regular season at South O'Brien on May 6. Borchers said that meet will give athletes who may not have a chance to compete in the conference and state qualifying meets the opportunity to show how they've improved throughout the season.